Author in the picture: Dawne Archer

Recently I read and reviewed Trekker Girl - Morocco Bound (you can read my
review on this link). I was pleasantly surprised by the book and by the motives
of the author - Dawne Archer - as well. That's why I asked her if she wanted to
participate in an author in the picture blogpost. Luckily she said yes 😊.

So here are the questions and answers of Dawne Archer in her Author in the
picture blog post on this blog. 

 WHO IS DAWNE ARCHER?

A very good question and one I sometimes ponder. The short
answer is that I am a 61-year-old woman, reasonably fit and
healthy despite issues with thrombosis, ready to get back to
travelling the world.

 

WHAT IS THROMBOSIS?

Trombosis is the formation of blood clots. They can occur in
the arteries,often manifesting as strokes or heart attacks, or in
the veins. I havehad two veinous blood clots, one in my leg
(Deep Vein Thrombosis) and one in my lung
(Pulmonary Embolism). I am very lucky to be alive, whereas
my Dad died of a PE.

There can be multiple causes. In my case, I inherited a gene
mutation called Factor 5 Leiden, which isn't that unusual and often
causes no problems. Unfortunately, I have inherited this from both
parents, making my risk factor in certain situations up to 88 times
higher. That is an astonishing statistic and I could fill many pages
with the information I have about thrombosis,
but the most accurate and helpful source of facts, figures and
support is Thrombosis UK (www.thrombosisuk.org).

 

CAN YOU TELL ME MORE ABOUT YOUR
FUNDRAISING FOR THROMBOSIS UK?

My first fundraiser was the Sahara Desert Trek which is the
subject of my book, 'Trekker Girl Morocco Bound'. I joined a
group of trekkers, paying all the expenses myself so that every
penny I raised went to Thrombosis UK. Was it a step too far
for a moderately healthy woman in her early 50s? I will let you
answer that one. It was certainly a tougher challenge than I had expected.

My fundraising is ongoing, with an overnight walk through the
mountains of Mallorca and I even competed in a ballroom dance
competition. The dancing was a long way out of my comfort zone
as I prefer walking boots to high heels, but it was a successful
fundraising event. I am currently trying to plan a challenge that
will attract both attention and donations because I aim to raise
awareness of thrombosis, something which does save lives,
as well as much needed funds.

 

YOU TRIED TO OVERCOME YOUR HEALTH
PROBLEMS BY TRAVELLING. WHY TRAVELLING?

My health issues are with me for life. I have tried to live to the full,
despite having to take care in certain situations. For example,
flying is a risk as is being immobile, especially after an operation.
In 90 minutes we all lose 50% of the blood flow in our legs.
I am a restless person and travelling keeps me 'on the go'.
Curiosity drives me forward, itching to learn more about
other countries and cultures. I may have to change my
mode of transport and adapt my methods but nothing, including
Covid, will keep me down.

 

HOW DID YOU FIND YOUR NAME 'TREKKER GIRL'?

I couldn't believe this name was not already in use! I used an
organisation called 'Just Giving' to collect the funds for my trek
and needed a catchy name. I love it.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE PLACE/COUNTRY EVER?

That is a difficult question to answer, having lived in the UK,
North America and Spain at various times. It is also hard to
pick on only one place I have visited, as I have had such
amazing experiences in many locations. I will say that Cuba
is full of special people, Chile has all kinds of dramatic natural
landscapes to explore and Alaska is just awe inspiring…I
could go on. A part of my heart belongs to a small rock in
the middle of the Irish Sea called the Isle of Man.

DO YOU HAVE OTHER INTERESTS OR HOBBIES?

Apart from writing and travelling? I love to entertain friends and
family and, of course, I walk most days, preferably somewhere
with a view of the sea. I enjoyed my involvement with a local
radio station, conducting interviews which gave me the opportunity
to indulge my curiosity about other people and their motivations.
You can be sure that I am rarely stuck for something to say.

Covid has made us all less mobile and I have indulged in lots
of reading (especially memoirs, thanks to the marvellous
Facebook group 'We Love Memoirs'). Tapestry and jigsaws kept
me occupied during the lockdowns, and I am always keen to try
something new, but it is safe to say that quilting proved disastrous.

Dawne Archer at the Glastonbury Music Festival

 

WHAT DOES YOUR FAMILY THINK ABOUT YOUR PLANS?

Covid has made me realise that there is nothing more important
to me than family. Seeing them whenever possible has been,
and still is, a priority. However, they know I will never stop
travelling and that has always been the way. They love to hear
'tall stories' of my adventures.

 

DO YOU LIKE TO WRITE/WORK IN THE EARLY
HOURS OR LATE?

I am very much a night owl. Peace and quiet in the later hours
of the day suit me best.

 

DO YOU HAVE PLANS TO WRITE OTHER BOOKS?

Digging through some old storage boxes, I found a treasure trove
of diaries written on my trips. Some short travel memoirs sound
like a fun way to get some more of my writing out into the world.
I have also contributed to a couple of published compilations
of travel stories.

Boot problems while travelling

WHAT DO YOU WISH FOR YOU AND THE WORLD?

That is a very good question and one that needs a lot of thought.
For me, I wish continued good health with no further thrombosis
episodes. For my family, good health too.
For the world? A way through the current Covid crisis.

 

You can find me here:

www.facebook.com/trekkergirl2012/

www.amazon.com/author/dawnearcher

twitter handle: @DawneArcher19

Email: trekkergirl@outlook.com

Trekker Girl Morocco Bound is available from Amazon at

https://mybook.to/TrekkerGirl

A big Thank you

I want to say a big thank you to Dawne Archer for participating in her own

Author in the picture blogpost on this blog. 

It's always nice to talk to very inspiring authors such as Dawne Archer.